Damaged sub returns to Norfolk [USS Hartford]

Navy Times ^ | 12/16/2003 | Christopher Munsey

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

The attack submarine Hartford arrived Tuesday in Portsmouth, Va., to undergo repairs caused by a mishap near the island base of La Maddalena, Italy, on Oct. 25.

Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval Sea Systems Command engineers will examine the submarine to decide a repair plan, said Lt. Cmdr. Bob Mehal, spokesman for Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic. In the mishap, Hartford briefly touched bottom as it cruised on the surface, damaging its rudder and scrapping its hull.

[Poohbah]

I looked up the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for the stuff.

This stuff sounds worse than a moose bite.

[Jambe]

Original Post:

Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval Sea Systems Command engineers will examine the submarine to decide a repair plan, said Lt. Cmdr. Bob Mehal, spokesman for Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic. In the mishap, Hartford briefly touched bottom as it cruised on the surface damaging its rudder and scrapping its hull.

Follow-on post:

The version I heard was that the sub was doing "angles and dangles" and smacked its stern against the bottom.

Something isn't correct here - these statements conflict.

If the boat was "on the surface" it would not be doing "angles and dangles". That is not a surface manuver. If the boat was on the surface and ran aground, then clearly the OOD, CO, NAV, Quartermaster etc. screwed up a plot and weren't watching where they were or the depth.

On our boat, when the word was passed "prepare for angles & dangles" it meant that the boat was fully submerged, usually has some speed on and was going to me making turns and depth changes that could cause one to loose their footing or fall out of their "rack".

Think of a fighter plane taking evasive action if something was on it's tail.

If they were out to sea doing "angles and dangles", clearly the water depth was not sufficient to support their activity. They're damn lucky they didn't auger in bow first!

YMMV

[Poohbah]

Like I said, that's the version I heard. Accuracy is not vouched for.

[vetvetdoug]

Try doing angles and dangles and then auguring into a sea bed wall at full speed, bubbling up and coming out of the water and then grounding the sub on a shoal. I cannot say how many of the crew told me this but in short, that is what happened. There is a lot of CYA going on concerning what happened and I have yet to see published what crewmen on the Hartford have said. A lot of CYA going on when one screws a $3 Billion submarine into oblivion.

[GATOR NAVY]

Running aground is a Career-Limiting Move (CLM).I don't know about that. I ran 2 of my ships aground many times-but then again, they were LSTs.

[Az Joe]

We used grape juice, raisans and yeast. Had quite a kick.

[Pan_Yan]

Two points:

1. Subs pull into La Maddalena all the time. Someone was really screwed up to run aground there, especially on the surface. The water is so clear you can see the entire propeller from the pier at night.

2. The Baltimore, which is donating it's rudder to replace the Hartfords, is a prime example of the post-Reagan military. It was decommissioned at only half it's designed age. I remember the scientists from Westinghouse couldn't wait to see it. They had never pulled out a reactor at its most reactive time in core life. It had enough gas to last at least 10 - 12 more years.

[Snickersnee]

How did the Hartford get back to Norfolk? was it towed, or under its own power, or did it do a lift job like the USS Cole?

[vetvetdoug]

The Hartford did get back under its own power with escort but never submerged on the way back. The Hartford did not, I repeat, did not hit ground while submerged. I misunderstood that the running aground was submerged but it was done on the surface...and with an Italian directing the sub through the shoals and was on board. It was significantly damaged and did experience severe torque.

[Johnny_Cipher]

The "dangle" part is thrown in because submariners are the greatest miltiary men in the world, kind of like supermen.

And when bubbleheads screw up and scrape the bottom while performing said maneuver, its known as "tripping over your own ****" :)

[Az Joe]

Which we did often!